Voltage dropping resistor



1956 P. PONTICELLI 2,759,077

VOLTAGE DROPPING RESISTOR Filed Oct. 1, 1955 /N VE N 70/? A r TOR/V5 nited States Patent VOLTAGE DROPPING RESISTOR Pasco Ponticelli, Los Angeles, 'Calif.

Application October 1, 1953, Serial No. 383,596

'1 'Claim. (Cl. 201-48) This invention relates to electrical devices and more especially to voltage dropping resistors for use in motor vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and inexpensive article of the character described.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel voltage dropping resistor for use in motor vehicles, and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel article of manufacture of the character described.

Other objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the underside of the upper plate element of the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lower plate ele ment of the invention.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral designates generally the voltage dropping resistor unit comprising the present invention which consists of a pair of identical plate-like members 11 and 12 of any preferred shape, but shown as being generally rectangular, the plate elements having side walls 13 forming surface recesses 14 in one face thereof. At one point on the edge of each wall 13 is a boss 15 and an indentation 16 is formed in the wall 13 opposite boss 15.

Walls 13 which have boss 15 and indentation 16, are enlarged inwardly and formed with a pair of mounting apertures 17, which apertures and boss 15 and indentation 16 are respectively positioned on opposite sides equally spaced from a median line or plane through the elements 11 and 12. Apertures 17 are enlarged at their outer portions at 18 to provide shoulders for a hollow rivet 19 which, after assembly, is flanged at its ends to secure plates 11 and 12 together, as shown in Figure 5.

Each of the plate elements is formed with a plurality of apertures 20 extending through the recessed portions thereof, which apertures may be enlarged at the inner portion thereof to receive the heads of terminal screws 21, 22 and 23. A pair of resistance wires 24 and 25 are secured at one end to terminal screw 22, and have their other ends secured respectively to terminal screws 21 and 23, nuts 26 or other fastening means being provided for securing the wires and screws to the plate elements and for attaching the electrical wiring to the unit. After assembly of the unit 10, the same may be mounted on a wall portion of a motor vehicle structure or other fixture as by mounting screws 27 extending through rivets 19.

The operation of the invention should be apparent from the foregoing description. Resistance wires 24 and 25 are preferably of nichrome wire having a resistance value of one ohm, and as is apparent from Figure 4, the mounting of these wires to the terminals of the upper plate element, the wires are held in substantially spaced relation to the surfaces of the plate element recesses 14. The voltage dropping resistor of this invention is designed primarily for use in motor vehicles which more and more are being provided with l2-volt batteries, and are for particular use in permitting conventional 6-volt accessories and radios to be mounted in and operated in such motor vehicles. When mounted in vehicles having 12-vo1t batteries, the terminal 22 is connected to the l2-volt terminal of the battery, the terminals 21 and 23 being used for connection of the 6-volt supplemental apparatus such as the radio, heaters, lamps, cigar lighter, or any other such accessories.

It will be understood that the foregoing description is illustrative rather than restrictive of the invention, and that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subjoined claim.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

A new article of manufacture comprising in combination a pair of identical plate-like elements of a ceramic material, each having a recess in one surface thereof and, on opposite sides of a median line, a pair of securing apertures and likewise a boss and an indentation, said elements having a plurality of terminal apertures in the recessed portion thereof, electrical terminals extending through the terminal apertures of one of said elements, at least one resistance wire being secured between a pair of said terminals in the recess of the respective element, said elements being positioned face-to-face with said recesses forming a cavity and with the boss of each element interfitting in the indentation of the other element to align the securing apertures in pairs, and means such as hollow rivets extending through the securing apertures for clamping the elements together and for receiving mounting screws.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,094,156 Lowe Apr. 21, 1914 

